The Minnesota Timberwolves are closing in on a deal that would swap forward Derrick Williams for Sacramento's Luc Mbah a Moute, according to sources with knowledge of the talks.
Sources told ESPN.com that the teams were progressing toward finalizing the trade Tuesday to give Williams the fresh start he's been seeking.
Williams and Mbah a Moute, sources said, have emerged as the principals in the latest talks between the teams, with offensively challenged Sacramento known to be pushing hard to be the club that lands Williams, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2011 draft.
Drafted so high by former Wolves executive David Kahn despite the presence of Kevin Love in Minnesota, Williams has struggled to carve out an impact role in his two-plus seasons there, where minutes have been hard to come by behind face-of-the-franchise Love.
The Kings, though, are already badly in need of added scoring punch in the early season to ease the load shouldered by franchise big man DeMarcus Cousins.
Chuck Hayes is another Kings forward who has been mentioned in connection with a Williams trade, but sources say that the Wolves are more interested in Mbah a Moute, even though Wolves coach Rick Adelman is well acquainted with Hayes from their time together in Houston.
If the final trade details come to fruition, Mbah a Moute would serve as a defensive-minded addition to Minnesota's frontcourt rotation and reunite with his pal Love, with whom he teamed at UCLA.
